Production of herbal toothpaste: Physical, organoleptic, phyto-compound, and antimicrobial properties.

Objective: To investigate the possibility of producing dental antimicrobial toothpaste from Allium cepa L skin chaff, Azadirachta indica A. seed, and Tetrapleura tetraptera pod extracts. Methods: Ethanolic extracts of the three plant materials were obtained. These were subjected to phytochemical and GC-MS analyses. The different extract combinations were used for the production of various toothpaste. The toothpaste's physical, organoleptic, and antimicrobial properties were determined. Results: From the phytochemical analysis, Allium cepa has the highest phenolic (1.20 mgGAE/g), saponin (14.80%), tannin (0.11 mg/g) and DPPH (82.80%), Tetrapleura tetraptera has the highest flavonoid (0.33 mg RE/g), and alkaloid (20.50 mg/g) while, Azadirachta indica has the highest oxalate (77.50 mg/g). The GC-MS revealed significant chemical components of Allium cepa as 1-heptatriacotanol, germacra-1(10),4,11(13)-trien-12-oic acid, 6-alpha-hydroxy-,gamma-lactone, (E,E)-, 11H-Indeno [1,2b] quinoxaline, 2-methyl- while Azadirachta indica have butyl benzoate, benzoic acid, hexyl ester, hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester and Tetrapleura tetraptera have the following 15-hydroxypentadecanoic acid, cis-9-hexadecenal, and 11,13-dimethyl-12-tetradecen-1-ol acetate. All the produced toothpaste has a brown colour and a pleasant smell, with pH from 7.30 to 8.10 and foamability from 19.23% of stand-alone toothpaste to 44.44% of Allium cepa-based. Amongst the produced toothpaste Allium cepa-based toothpaste has the best antimicrobial activities against the tested bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca) and fungi (Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis). The stand-alone toothpaste has the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration of 1.25 mg/mL against bacteria and fungi. Clinical significance: The study provides information on the production of human health-friendly dental antimicrobial toothpaste from plant materials.

Assessment of nutrient contents and bio-functional activities of edible fungus bio-fortified with copper, lithium and zinc.

Bio-enrichment of edible mushrooms is an outstanding strategy to deliver essential nutrients to human. In this study, an edible fungus; Pleurotus pulmonarius was cultivated on spent mushroom substrate (SMS) supplemented with copper, lithium, and zinc. Proximate and mineral analysis of cultivated mushroom was determined using methods of AOAC. Antimicrobial activity of cultivated mushroom was assessed against microorganisms using agar well diffusion. Antioxidant property of mushroom was assessed against free radicals. Similar (p ≤ 0.05) protein contents of 18.93%, 18.80% and 17.90% were respectively obtained in P. pulmonarius biofortified with Cu + Li + Zn, Cu + Zn and Zn. Crude fibre in element fortified-mushroom ranged from 9.02 to 10.11%, while non-fortified mushroom was 8.66%. Copper content of P. pulmonarius fortified with Cu alone and Cu + Zn were 96.12 mg/100 g and 98.09 mg/100 g, respectively. Mushroom fortified with Zn has the highest zinc content of 520.15 mg/100 g. Mushroom fortified with Li and Li + Zn have a similar (p ≤ 0.05) Li content of 106.02 mg/100 g and 104.30 mg/100 g, respectively. Extract from mushroom-fortified with copper has the highest zone of inhibition (15.1 mm) against Klebsiella pneumoniae at 1.0 mg/ml. Mushroom fortified with Cu + Li + Zn and Li + Zn, respectively have similar (p ≤ 0.05) scavenging activities of 79.10 and 81.0% against DPPH. Mushroom fortified with Zn or Zn + Cu enhanced the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus plantarum. Antimicrobial, antioxidant and prebiotic activities of fortified-mushroom could be attributed to arrays of phytochemicals and bio-accumulated elements. Hence, bio-fortified mushrooms can be used as functional foods and as biopharmaceuticals to treat ailments associated with nutrient deficient.

Repositioning of Fungal-based Peptides as Modulators of Angiotensin-converting Enzyme-related Carboxypeptidase, SARS-coronavirus HR2 Domain, and Coronavirus Disease 2019 Main Protease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Angiotensin-converting enzyme-related carboxypeptidase, SARS-Coronavirus HR2 Domain, and COVID-19 main protease are essential for the cellular entry and replication of coronavirus in the host. This study investigated the putative inhibitory action of peptides form medicinal mushrooms, namely Pseudoplectania nigrella, Russula paludosa, and Clitocybe sinopica, towards selected proteins through computational studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The respective physicochemical properties of selected peptides were predicted using ProtParam tool, while the binding modes and binding free energy of selected peptides toward proteins were computed through HawkDock server. The structural flexibility and stability of docked protein-peptide complexes were assessed through iMODS server. RESULTS: The peptides showed an optimum binding afinity with the molecular targets; plectasin from P. nigrella showed the highest binding free energy compared to peptides from R. paludosa and C. sinopica. Besides, molecular dynamic simulations showed all fungal-based peptides could influence the flexibility and stability of selected proteins. CONCLUSION: The study revealed fungal-based peptides could be explored as functional modulators of essential proteins that are involved in the cellular entry of coronavirus.

Synergistic antifungal evaluation of over-the-counter antifungal creams with turmeric essential oil or Aloe vera gel against pathogenic fungi.

BACKGROUND: The frequent incidence of fungal infection and widespread of antibiotic resistance are emergent concerns in public health. Hence, there is a need to harness the potential of natural bioactive compounds from plant towards treatment of fungal infection. Combination effect of antibiotic creams with natural products from plants is prospective strategy to produce new antifungal agent. This study therefore, revealed antifungal effect of combined Antifungal Creams (AFCs) with Turmeric Essential Oil (TEO) or Aloe vera Gel (AVG). METHODS: Phytochemicals and bioactive compounds in TEO and AVG were revealed using GC-MS. Bioactive compounds in plant extracts were compared to known compounds in database library of National Institute of Standards and Technology (U.S.). Antifungal activity and synergistic effect of AFCs with TEO or AVG were carried out using agar well diffusion method. RESULTS: Phenol, flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides were present in TEO and AVG. GCMS revealed thirty-six (36) and eighteen (18) bioactive compounds in TEO and AVG, respectively. AFCs displayed zones of inhibition with values ranged from 5.0 to 14.3 mm, TEO was 5.0 to 11.0 mm and AVG was 8.0 to 11.7 mm against tested fungi. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) by AFCs, TEO and AVG ranged from 1.25 to 10.0 mg/ml. Combinatory effects of AFCs with TEO or AVG revealed synergistic and indifferent properties. CONCLUSION: Development of novel products using bioactive ingredients from plants with commercially available AFCs will serve as potential alternative therapy to cure dermatological infections with no side effects.

Bioactivity assessment of exopolysaccharides produced by Pleurotus pulmonarius in submerged culture with different agro-waste residues.

Pleurotus spp. are white-rot fungi that utilize different agro-wastes to produce useful biologically active compounds. In this study, exopolysaccharides (EPS) were produced by Pleurotus pulmonarius in submerged culture supplemented with different agro-wastes. Functional groups in EPS were revealed using Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Antimicrobial activity of EPS was tested against microorganisms using agar well diffusion. Scavenging potentials of EPS was tested against 1, 1- diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl (OH), iron (Fe2+) and nitric oxide (NO) radicals. In vitro prebiotic activity of EPS was carried out. The highest yield (5.60 g/L) of EPS was produced by P. pulmonarius in submerged culture supplemented with groundnut shell (20.0 g/L). The functional groups in EPS were hydroxyl (-OH), methyl (-CH3), ketone (-RCOH) and carbonyl group (-C=O). EPS displayed zones of inhibition (5.00-14.00 mm) against tested microorganisms. Scavenging activity of EPS ranged from 65.70-81.80% against DPPH. EPS supported the growth of Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Streptococcus thermophiles with values ranged from 3.04 × 104-3.40 × 104 cfu/ml and 2.50 × 104-2.81 × 104 cfu/ml, respectively. Submerged culture of P. pulmonarius with addition of agro-wastes enhanced yield of EPS. The EPS exhibited bio-functional properties like antimicrobial, antioxidant and prebiotic activities. Hence, agrowastes can be recycled in submerged fermentation with fungi to produce promising biomaterials for biopharmaceutical applications.

Antimicrobial potential of toothpaste formulated from extracts of Syzygium aromaticum, Dennettia tripetala and Jatropha curcas latex against some oral pathogenic microorganisms.

The need for a broad spectrum antimicrobial mouthwash is highly desirable to reduce, control and prevent various types of dental diseases. Hence, research into the production of herbal toothpaste to suppress the incidence of dental diseases is pertinent. The present study formulated herbal toothpastes from edible and medicinal plants namely; Syzygium aromaticum, Dennettia tripetala, and Jatropha curcas latex. The antimicrobial activity of the toothpastes was assessed against some oral pathogenic microorganisms using agar well diffusion. Phytochemical analysis of S. aromaticum and D. tripetala revealed the presence of phenols, flavonoids, alkaloid, and saponins. The major constituent of the plants from gas chromatography mass spectrometer (GC/MS) analysis are eugenol (83.58%), caryophyllene (4.35%) and phenol, 2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-, acetate (12.07%) from S. aromaticum, while D. tripetala had glutaric acid (57.57%), eugenol (2.9%), caryophyllene (1.12%), and 1,6,10-dodecatrien-3-ol, 3,7,11-trimethyl-,(E)- (3.36%). The pH and specific gravity of the formulated toothpastes respectively ranged from 8.57 to 9.67 and 1.08 to 1.10, while the pH and specific gravity of commercial toothpastes were from 5.39 to 8.55 and 0.97 to 1. 11 respectively. The formulated toothpastes have better and significant (P < 0.05) antimicrobial effect when compared to commercial toothpastes. The zones of inhibition of formulated toothpastes against the tested microorganisms ranged from 4.0 to 18.30 mm, while MIC ranged from 2.5 to 20.0 mg/mL. The formulated toothpastes exhibited potent antimicrobial property against the tested pathogens as a result of bioactive compounds in them. Hence, these biomolecules can be extracted for the production of safe and effective herbal-based toothpaste.

Food Value and Safety Status of Raw (Unfermented) and Fermented Higher Basidiomycetes, Lenzites quercina (L) P. Karsten.

Food value and safety of a wild macrofungus, Lenzites quercina were investigated. The proximate and mineral composition of raw and fermented L. quercina were assessed using standard methods. Brine shrimp lethality bioassay was adopted for assessment of the toxicological property of the extracts obtained from raw and fermented L. quercina. The result of proximate composition revealed higher protein content (26.15%) in fermented L. quercina, while the value of carbohydrate (38.3%), crude fibre (27.6%), and ash contents (6.5%) were higher (P<0.05) in raw L. quercina when compared to fermented L. quercina. The macro and micro elements in the raw and fermented L. quercina were in decreasing order of Ca> K> Zn> Fe> Na> Mg> Pb> Cu with values ranging from 4.04 mg/g to 721.6 mg/g. The amino acids in raw and fermented L. quercina ranged from 0.05 mg/g to 23.78 mg/g, while the fatty acids ranged from 0.11% to 38.5%. The mortality rate of the Artemia salina against the extracts was from 8.0% to 38.0% with lethal dose at 50% of population within 49.11 and 250.50 µg/mL. The results from this study revealed that L. quercina possesses essential amino acids, fatty acids, and substantial micro elements, which may be useful in the formulation of functional foods and nutraceuticals.

Isolation of Antifungal Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) from "Kunu" against Toxigenic Aspergillus flavus.

The antifungal activity of isolated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from a locally fermented cereal, "Kunu", was tested against toxigenic Aspergillus flavus. The liquid refreshment, "Kunu", was prepared under hygienic condition using millet, sorghum, and the combination of the two grains. The antifungal potential of isolated LAB against toxigenic A. flavus was carried out using both in vitro and in vivo antifungal assays. The LAB count from prepared "Kunu" ranged from 2.80 ×104 CFU/mL to 4.10×104 CFU/mL and Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus fermentum, Pediococcus acidilactici, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were the isolated bacteria. Inhibitory zones exhibited by LAB against toxigenic A. flavus ranged from 5.0 mm to 20.0 mm. The albino mice infected with toxigenic A. flavus showed sluggishness, decrease in body weight, distortion of hair, and presence of blood in their stool, while those treated with LAB after infection were recovered and active like those in control groups. Except for the white blood cell that was increased in the infected mice as 6.73 mm3, the packed cell volume, hemoglobin, and red blood cell in infected animals were significantly reduced (P<0.05) to 29.28%, 10.06%, and 4.28%, respectively, when compared to the treated mice with LAB and control groups. The antifungal activity of LAB against toxigenic A. flavus can be attributed to the antimicrobial metabolites. These metabolites can be extracted and used as biopreservatives in food products to substitute the use of chemical preservatives that is not appealing to consumers due to several side effects.